Johnny’s mother was ironing when he walked into his house. “Why, Johnny, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I’ve been looking for somebody and I haven’t found him,” Johnny replied.

“Who is it?” his mother questioned.

“That boy who always gets me into trouble,” Johnny explained.

“Oh, is he the boy who sometimes makes you leave your bed unmade and your clothes lying around your room and all that sort of thing?” Mother inquired.

“Yes,” Johnny answered. “And I’m looking for him.”

“And just what are you going to tell him when you find him?” his mother asked.

“I’m going to look him straight in the eye and tell him I’m tired of getting into trouble!” Johnny replied.

“Do you really want to find that boy?” Mother asked.

“Yes!” Johnny answered. “I really do!”

“Good,” she smiled. “He’s here right now. Come with me and you can talk to him.”

Johnny followed her into the bedroom. “Where is he?” he asked. “I don’t see him.”

“You will,” she promised. “Stand on this chair.”

Johnny climbed up on the chair that his mother had placed in front of her dresser mirror. He found himself face to face with a boy just his size, one with red hair, freckles, blue eyes, a missing tooth, blue pants, and a striped shirt.

It was the very boy he had been looking for!

“Now I’m going back to my ironing,” Mother said. “You may stay here and talk as long as you want.”

And that’s just what Johnny did. He told the boy how tired he was of getting into trouble.

“I don’t like you when you do that!” Johnny exclaimed. “And I’m not going to listen to your ideas anymore!”

Then Johnny jumped down from the chair, and the boy in the mirror suddenly disappeared.